There's a widening gap in the food industry between ghost kitchens that churn through tenants and food incubators that genuinely launch sustainable businesses. The difference isn't just infrastructure—it's the ecosystem.
The best food incubators don't just rent kitchen space. They wrap physical infrastructure in mentorship, market access, and what the industry calls "patient capital"—the willingness to let founders grow at a sustainable pace rather than demanding rapid returns.
Case Study: Snacklins — A Joke That Got Way Too Big
Samy Kobrosly — Snacklins
Washington D.C., USA • Vegan Pork Rinds
The Journey
Samy Kobrosly was a former radio personality who started Snacklins on a bet to create a vegan pork rind. The product—made from yuca, mushrooms, and onions—was developed and prototyped in Union Kitchen's shared space.
The critical difference: Union Kitchen owns grocery stores. Kobrosly proved the concept by selling Snacklins in Union Kitchen's own retail outlets, generating real sales velocity data before ever pitching investors.
The Shark Tank Moment
When Kobrosly appeared on Shark Tank in 2019, he wasn't pitching a concept—he was pitching a product with proven sales velocity in the D.C. market. He secured $250k from Mark Cuban for 5% equity plus 5% advisory.
The Incubator Advantage
Union Kitchen's manufacturing infrastructure allowed Snacklins to ramp up production immediately to meet the "Shark Tank effect" demand. Today, it's a national brand in Whole Foods—a feat impossible without industrial scaling capacity.
More Founders Who Made It
Myles Powell — Myles Comfort Foods
Union Kitchen • Clean-Label Frozen Mac & Cheese
An engineer by training, Powell treated his food business as a systems problem. He identified that the frozen comfort food aisle was dominated by low-quality options. Working nights and weekends at Union Kitchen while keeping his day job, he developed a premium, clean-label Mac & Cheese.
Result: Seven years of methodical growth led to investment from Whole Foods' venture arm and a $1.05M seed round.
Temi Olugbenga & Ash Ringhus — Sylt Pickling
Mission Kitchen, London • Pickling Liquids
They identified a friction point in home cooking: the time and smell of boiling vinegar for pickling. Their solution—pre-made pickling liquids (like Scotch Bonnet & Lemon)—lets consumers "cold pickle" vegetables instantly.
Incubator effect: Mission Kitchen provided not just pH-controlled production space, but network access. Featured in Mission Kitchen's Black History Month hampers with Yelp, driving direct sales and brand awareness.
Jane Visram — Mama Dolce
Hatch Enterprise, London • Luxury Free-From Ice Cream
A practising solicitor in finance, Visram developed severe dairy allergies and found the free-from ice cream market lacking in luxury options. Despite her legal acumen, she lacked food industry connections.
Hatch impact: Won mentorship with Sam Dalgleish, Development Director at Pizza Hut, who helped navigate frozen supply chain logistics. Now runs Mama Dolce while still practising law—"hybrid entrepreneurship" enabled by Hatch's support network.
Veronique Mbida — Bantu Chocolate
Hatch Enterprise, London • Bean-to-Bar Chocolate
Mbida sources cocoa directly from her family's farm in Cameroon, producing chocolate in London to ensure economic value remains with growers—countering the exploitative norms of the cocoa industry.
Grant success: As a Hatch graduate, awarded £10,000 (funded by NatWest) in 2024 to upgrade website and develop new products. This capital injection is often the difference between stagnation and growth for micro-businesses.
Comparing Food Incubators
Union Kitchen
Washington D.C., USA
Unique Value
Owns kitchen, distribution company, and grocery stores
Best For
CPG brands aiming for retail distribution
Notable Alumni
- Snacklins (Shark Tank, Whole Foods)
- Myles Comfort Foods ($1.05M seed)
- Veggie Confetti (acquired by LoveBeets)
Mission Kitchen
London, UK (New Covent Garden)
Unique Value
16,000 sq ft flexible space, GLA-funded
Best For
UK founders needing flexible R&D space
Notable Alumni
- Sylt Pickling (Great Taste Awards)
- Momo's Dairy (Syrian halloumi)
- Featured in Yelp Black History Month hampers
Hatch Enterprise
London, UK
Unique Value
Focus on underrepresented founders + corporate partnerships
Best For
Women, ethnic minority, disabled founders seeking mentorship
Notable Alumni
- Mama Dolce (luxury free-from ice cream)
- Bantu Chocolate (bean-to-bar)
- Trimenco (training CIC)
La Cocina
San Francisco, USA
Unique Value
Focus on low-income women and immigrants
Best For
Underrepresented founders in Bay Area
Notable Alumni
- Reem's California (brick-and-mortar success)
- Minnie Bell's (soul food)
- Jarred SF Brine
Why Incubators Outperform Ghost Kitchens
Ghost Kitchen Model
- Venture capital demands rapid returns
- High rents, aggressive lease terms
- High tenant turnover
- Works for scaled chains, toxic for independents
Incubator Model
- Patient/public capital prioritises survival
- Subsidised rent, grants, flexible terms
- Higher long-term survival rates
- Founders get time to fail, pivot, and succeed
Finding the Right Incubator
The proliferation of shared kitchens has successfully lowered the barrier to entry. An entrepreneur no longer needs £100,000 to build a kitchen—they need £1,000 for a membership. This has led to a diversity explosion, bringing Syrian cheese, Cameroonian chocolate, and vegan pork rinds to market.
But not all shared kitchens are created equal. The ones that actually launch businesses share common traits: they provide market access, not just space. Union Kitchen's grocery stores. Mission Kitchen's retail partnerships. Hatch's corporate mentor connections.
Before signing up, ask: "What happens after I perfect my recipe?" If the answer is just "you can cook here," keep looking.
Written by
James Mitchell
Ghost Kitchen Operations Director & Industry Expert